What Blind Eyes See
by Mathiasosx
Summary: Eyes don't have to see to be able to look straight through you. "You're still afraid. Even after the battle is over. Why?"


**Just a one shot so it is unbeta'd so feel free to point out errors.**

**Usual thing I Do Not Own Naruto.**

* * *

"You're afraid."

Haruno Sakura looked at the Mist Kunoichi whom she was treating. The battle with Obito, Madara and the Juubi was over. The United Shinobi Alliance was victorious. However now they had to deal with the aftermath. Though the presence of Sasuke, Taka and Orochimaru ensured things remained tense. The presence of the Edo-tensei Hokage's helped somewhat but also served to keep a level of uneasiness.

"Don't talk save your strength." Sakura told the woman as she continued to heal the large hole in the Mist nins abdomen. The result of being unable to do dodge one of the Jyubi's spike barrages.

Ordinarily the woman would have been sedated but the woman had refused stating others needed it more and, due to the shortage of anaesthetic, her request had been allowed.

"No you need this talk." Said the woman. Her voice betraying no pain, no fear.

Sakura looked the woman in the face. Normally Sakura would have marvelled at the woman's rusty, almost coppery brown shoulder length hair. Instead she found herself fixed by the other woman's dead and empty grey green eyes.

Blind Ninja were not unheard of, but they were rare and rarely survived long. However the woman she was treating was a Jounin in her mid twenties. Just that fact alone spoke volumes of her skill.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked slightly uncomfortable under that empty gaze.

"You're still afraid. Even after the battle is over. Why?" Pressed the woman cocking her head to one side.

"I need to continue treating you. Your wound is still serious." Sakura tried to change the subject, knowing where it would lead.

The woman frowned. "Stop running away it will only make things worse." She snapped at the pinkette.

"I know my body I know I'm stable. I now some medical Jutsu myself. So talk."

Sakura blinked, completely disarmed. She then sighed accepting the situation.

"It's about my team mates. Naruto and Sasuke-k." She cut herself off. Something told her that the Uchiha had no right to that honorific anymore. "Sasuke." She didn't say anything else. Looking away

"So you're the one." Sakura snapped back around. "I was brought in by one of Naruto's clones." The Kunoichi explained. "I talked to him. He loves you dearly you know that."

Sakura turned away again. "I don't deserve his love."

The woman's eyes widened then narrowed again. "Isn't that for him to decide."

No answer.

The Kunoichi sighed. "How old were you when Sasuke broke your heart."

"How do you know?" Sakura hissed in shock.

"A persons life is written into how they act and move. If you know how you can read what is written."

Sakura could only stare at this terrifyingly incredible woman.

"Tell me you name." She eventually said.

The brunette smirked. "Call me Riyu. Now answer my question."

"13." Replied the pinkette.

"So a crush, an infatuation then." Sakura glared at the other woman however Riyu raised a hand to stop her in order to continue.

"You were too young to know what true love is. He was popular I assume." A nod. "And you wanted to fit in or were pressured into it." No response. "Don't deny it I did the very same." Now Sakura nodded.

"You let your head rule your heart and your heart suffered. But you haven't learnt your lesson."

The pinkette now looked confused.

"You know what you feel but your head denies it. Because you fear to be hurt again just like what happened with Sasuke no matter how stupid you know that thought is. You're not just afraid that your teammates will fight each other and die. You're afraid of your own feelings."

Sakura tried to speak.

"Do not say anything. As I said I did the same. I was in a team with the idol and the outcast. I chased the idol who didn't care. I am now happily married to the outcast who did and still does. I made the right choice. Will you?"

Sakura did not know what to say. What she did know is she wanted to be able to see the world like the blind woman she had been treating could.

Before anything else happened the curtain of the medical tent was shoved aside. And a tall blond haired and hazel eyed Mist Shinobi entered hurriedly.

"Riyu!" He shouted.

The woman on the bed let out a sigh. "Hamano calm down. I'm fine."

The man, Hamano, dashed over and noticed the, substantially healed but still large, wound in her torso.

"You don't look fine." He stated.

Riyu rolled her eyes. "I've had worse and you know it. Not to mention I'm in very good hands." She admonished indicating Sakura.

Hamano turned to Sakura and bowed. "I thank you for treating her."

Sakura was caught of guard by his actions and sincerity.

"D-don't mention it." She uttered before retuning to Riyu's wound.

The brunette turned to the man, clearly her husband. "I'm glad you're ok. Seems you can survive without me."

Hamano grinned. "Give me some credit we are a team after all."

Riyu smiled her arm reaching out to pull him into a kiss that was quickly reciprocated.

Separating she turned back to Sakura, who was still watching out of the corner of her eye and mouthed. "This is what you could have if you let it."

Hamano caught it as well and, figuring out what his wife was doing, decided to help.

"So let's hear it." He said.

"Sakura blinked. "Hear what."

"What your heart has to say."

The pinkette felt both gazes drilling into her one empty and dead the other vibrant and full of life both almost burning with intensity and reddened.

Swallowing nervously she tried it. Clearing her mind she laid her hands over her heart. And spoke. "I-I. I Love…" She paused. Did she really want to say this would it really be what she felt. Then Riyu frowned at her. "Silence your mind." She snapped. "Let your heart speak unhindered."

Sakura was reddened even further. She had started thinking hadn't she.

Taking a deep breath the pinkette tried again. "I love N…" She blinked. "I love Naruto!" No that wasn't enough.

"No." Riyu and Hamano tensed. "I am in Love with Naruto…"

The married couple were now grinning. "Bet that felt good to say" Said the brunette.

Sakura looked at the pair grinning. "Yeah it did. You were right I needed that… Thank you."

Hamano and Riyu smiled at each other. Hamano sliding next to his wife.

"Now go tell him. Tell Naruto how you feel." Said the brunette.

"Tell Naruto-kun that you feel what?" Asked a new voice.

All three turned to the entrance of the tent to see (in two cases) Hinata Hyuga standing there an anxious expression on her delicate features.

Riyu took everything in. Honorific, tone even body language from the other girls chakra signature and figured out who this new arrival was. The competition.

"You've lost if that's what you're wondering." Stated the blind woman bluntly. She then turned to Sakura who was covering back slightly looking guilty.

Riyu almost snarled. "Don't back off. Don't run away. Use the fire I know is in your heart. Nothing in this world is given it is earned."

Hinata's pale eyes darted between everyone. "W-what do you m-mean what's going on?" She asked her stutter resurfacing.

Sakura locked gazes with her now former patient. With all the taking she had actually managed to close the wound.

She then smiled she was right Hinata may have loved Naruto first but she could not deny what she felt not anymore.

"I love Naruto." She stated confidently almost instantly shedding the timidity she had a moment before.

Hinata's eyes widened.

"N-no. You can't." The blunette said desperately. "T-that's not-t fair. W-why you? I… I c-can't compete with you."

Sakura sighed closing her eyes as she did so. "I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not. I've denied my feelings long enough, hiding them with excuses, afraid to let go of the past." The pinkeete looked at Riyu. "It took a blind woman to make me see that and move past it. All I have to do now is tell Naruto-kun. You had the time, you had the chance but not antmore. You lost."

Hinata had tears streaming down her face but seemed to have composed herself. Though she looked rather resigned.

Letting out a sigh she spoke. "I guess I knew this would happen. I could see how close you both were. Everyone saw it. Was expecting it even. I just hoped that if I ignored it I still had a chance." She smiled weekly. "I guess it was foolish. Now that he can have you he'll never let you go. I know I'd do the same with him."

Sakura didn't say anything she just stepped forward and embraced her friend. Thankful that the blunette hasn't chosen to fight her over Naruto. She'd almost lost one friendship over a boy she didn't want to loose another.

"Thank you." She said as Hinata hugged her back.

After several moments they broke apart. The Hyuga wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I would give anything to be in your place right now." Said the blunette sniffing slightly. "But this isn't about being selfish. Naruto chose you now you choose him. Go tell him and make sure he believes you this time."

Sakura nodded smiling. "I will." She said before dashing out of the tent.

Riyu 'looked' over at Hinata. "You are a far more mature person than I could ever hope to be Hyuga-san. You have my respect." She said bowing her head.

Keeping a stoic face Hinata nodded before leaving herself.

* * *

It didn't take long for Sakura to find Naruto but getting too him was a different story. The tension between the two friends had caused a large crowd to gather in a ring around Naruto and Sasuke. Seemingly waiting for the coming fight. Said crowd also presented a considerable obstacle for her to get through.

Fortunately her not inconsiderable strength allowed her to brute force her way into the middle. Where she popped out of the throng of people into the open ring so suddenly she nearly ended up on the floor.

"Sakura-Chan?" Said a surprised Naruto at the pinkettes abrupt arrival.

Quickly realising from the feeling in the air that the blond and Sasuke had literally been about to start their fight she shouted.

"Stop. You don't need to do this." She then proceeded to run forward and wrapped him in a hug.

"S-sakura-chan."

"You bakka, he's back with us you've kept your promise. You don't need to fight him anymore." She whispered to him.

Unfortunately despite the nature on the scene a certain Uchiha had no qualms about interrupting it.

"Oi weakling. You've said your goodbye to the Dobe now get out the way."

The Pinkettes head snapped round to glare at the Sharringan wielder without letting go of Naruto.

"Shut the fuck up Sasuke!" She shouted back at him. Stunning everyone who knew her. The blond she had her arms around more than anyone else.

"What did you say?" The raven-haired boy growled back.

"You heard me. You arrogant prick!"

She turned back to Naruto and smiled. "That felt good to say."

"You bitch!" Screeched an enraged Sasuke accompanied by the hiss of Kusanagi being drawn.

Without needing words Naruto and Sakura reacted instantly. The blond ducked out of his partners arms drawing a pair of Kunai. At the same time the pinkette flipped over Naruto twisting to land directly behind him.

The Uchiha's rage filled blow clashed with Naruto's crossed Kunai and stopped dead.

The stayed there locked against each other for a moment before the Uchiha smirked. Though his Sharringan continued to spiral.

"Well it seems the weakling got over me. Maybe you stand a chance now dobe. Though you always having to protect her hasn't changed."

Naruto just grinned. "Sasuke. You seem to have forgotten the first thing Kakashi-sensei taught us. Teamwork."

Sasuke didn't get a chance to react before he was launched back crashing into the ground and creating a trench with the force.

Everything seemed to freeze and every soul held their breath waiting for the puff of smoke revealing it to be a clone or a substitution. Except it didn't come.

The only sign of life from the broken body was wet coughing and pained moans.

Naruto blinked that was it? After everything that is how it ended so quickly. Hell he didn't even have to attack. He looked over his shoulder at Sakura who still had her arm held out under his from the punch she delivered. She'd hidden the blow behind his arm. Not even the Sharringan could predict what it couldn't see.

The pinkette slowly rose clearly shocked both that the move connected and that it had ended it.

Blinking it away she turned to Naruto. "Sorry I know you wanted to fight him but…" She looked at the ground.

The Jinchuriki of the Kyubi hesitantly reach out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's ok Sakura-chan I understand. I think." He assured.

Looking up again she smiled.

Then a series of particularly awful sounding coughs issued from Sasuke.

"Aren't you going to heal him?" Questioned Naruto, looking over at their ex-teammate.

The medic let out a sigh. "I suppose I should." She said again surprising the blond again though this time with her reluctance.

Slowly she walked over to the shattered from in the crater, deliberately avoiding looking into the rage filled doujutsu that glared at her. Kneeling down she reach into a pouch pulled out a small piece of paper and slapped it on her one time teammates head applying a bit of chakra. From the paper a seal formed and the red and black tomoe of the Sharringan faded from Sasuke's eyes though the glare kept its intensity.

To be honest she didn't even need to do a scan to see what was wrong. It was clear as day. Her punch had caved in the entire right side of the boys chest, Shattering his ribcage and crushing his lung which was in turn punctured by the bone fragments.

However she performed the scan anyway and as she did so she finally looked the Uchiha in the face.

"Somehow I don't think you can call me a weakling anymore." She quipped as she moved on to healing him, Naruto walking over.

"You probably never expected to be hit my me did you. To be honest I never expected to land this hit either. Your arrogance really did blind you. You assumed I'd always be afraid of fighting to. Too wrapped up in an old crush to actually hurt you. Well things change Sasuke."

She looked up at Naruto who looked at her dumbfounded. She couldn't help but smile at his confusion. Naruto would always be a bit of an idiot no matter the situation. It was who he was.

"I didn't come to stop the fight, I didn't know it was starting till I got here. I came here to tell Naruto something." She continued still looking at her blond haired teammate.

"Something I should have told him long ago but was too afraid and confused…" She trailed off turning back to Sasuke.

"I you're wondering. No you will not be able to continue being a Ninja. Your lung is too badly for me or even Tsunade-Shishou to heal properly same for your ribs." Said the pinkette changing tracks and tone. Behind her Naruto's eyes grew wide at the news.

As Sakura continued to work a team of Medical Ninja's arrived with a stretcher.

"Is he stable?" Asked the team leader after a moment.

The pinkette nodded. "Yes and he is safe to move. Be careful though, In spite of everything he did help us."

Quickly and professionally Sasuke was moved onto the stretcher and moved away.

Standing the pinkette let out a sigh of relief, before tuning to Naruto who had a perturbed look on his face.

"You ok Naruto-kun?" She asked.

"Sasuke can't be a ninja anymore. I can't believe it." He said to wrapped up in that to notice Sakura's use of the honorific.

With a sad smile the med nin reached out and cupped his face with her left hand.

"You say that as if he would be allowed to continue being a Ninja." The blond looked at her surprised at her actions. But continued to listen.

"Sasuke was made a Missing-nin Naruto-kun. He will have to stand trial for what he has done. With our support he probably won't be executed but he would never be allowed into the Ninja Corps again."

Naruto's expression saddened as her words and the truth behind them hit home and her hand pulled away.

Then something twigged.

"Wait did you just caused me Naruto-kun?" He asked turning to his teammate, who immediately blushed and after a moment pause nodded.

"But… Wha?...Why?"

Sakura glanced away for a moment before meeting his eyes.

"You were right to deny me in the Land of Iron." She started. "But you were wrong about the reason for it. Kinda. I was lying about not having any feelings for Sasuke back then. I was afraid to let go of them let go of my link to the past my link to our time as team seven."

In front of her Naruto was frowning. Sakura-chan this better not be going where think this is going I already told you I hate… Sakura cut him off.

"Don't you dare say I'm lying to myself you bakka!" She shouted. "These feeling have been within me since you came back. possibly before then. But I was afraid afraid to be hurt, afraid of what I felt. So I kept denying it, hiding it behind a dying affection for Sasuke that I clung to like a life raft."

"Sakura-chan…"

"What I'm saying is. I'm not afraid anymore. I'm not afraid to honestly say. I love you Naruto-kun." She finished looking the blond straight in the eye.

"I… You… But… Sasuke…" Naruto muttered completely disarmed by her sincerity.

Sakura shook her head smiling as she reached out to place her hand on either side of the blonds face. "You such a bakka." She whispered and pulled his lips to hers.

Around them the crowds erupted in cheers with a number of wolf whistles thrown about as Naruto kissed her back

They didn't break apart till the noise died down. "But your my bakka." Sakura finally finished.

The blond had no doubt anymore and smiled back. "Always." He replied.

Before they could kiss again the sound of a new voice interrupted them.

"So are you going to introduce me to your girlfriend Naruto?"

Turning the new couple came face to face with Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage.

"Dad!" Yelled the blue-eyed teen grinning widely.

Sakura blinked in shock both at being in the presence of one of Konoha's legendary hero's and Naruto's words.

"N-Naruto d-did you just say D-dad?" She stammered out.

The blond scratched the back of his head chuckling slightly in his usual nervous manner.

"Yeah I did. I found out when I went 8 tails against Pain. Dad had sealed some of his chakra with Kurama to reinforce the seal in case such a thing happened." Naruto then noticed his girlfriends eye twitch in anger and hurriedly continued.

"I wanted to tell you but with the Land of Iron and everything else after it I never got a chance."

Sakura anger disappeared apparently satisfied with his explanation.

Minato then started laughing.

"She's a keeper Naruto. Kushina-Chan would be proud."

Both teens reddened at this but it didn't stop the pinkette shooting her boyfriend a questioning look. Getting a mouthed "My mother." in return.

"Already I can tell she's much like her. Anyway Naruto. Introductions."

"Ah yeah. Dad this is Sakura. Sakura this is my day Minato Namikaze the Yondaime Hokage.

Sakura proceeded to bow (She wasn't really one for curtsying) "A pleasure to meet you Yondaime-Dono." She addressed respectfully.

Minato frowned slightly. "Now, now none of that. Sakura-san. Just call me Minato. I get the feeling you'll be family soon anyway."

Both teens blush again at the implications of that sentence.

"Now let's talk. I'm sure you have a lot of questions. That didn't get answered last time we met."

Naruto grinned. "Believe it!"

Smiling Sakura stepped away to let the Father and Son get acquainted. However Naruto grabbed her wrist before she could take the second.

"Stay Sakura-Chan I want you here as well. I have not secrets from you." He said grinning.

As they stood their chatting the Large crowd dispersing around them Sakura couldn't help but feel that everything would work out right.

All because of what blind eyes see.

* * *

**This is part of the reason I haven't been writing any of my multi-chapter fics recently. I couldn't get this damn idea out of my head so I went ahead and wrote it. Both so I could get to work on my other fics and for the sake of my, already much deteriorated, sanity.**

**The part of the reason is I've finally decided to actually physically plan my fics out. Hopefully it will improve the rate at which I update and If not it will make things easier for me when writing about my fics. However getting the plans down will take a while so you'll have to bear with me for a bit.**

**Anyway back to this fic. Particularly the fight. I have a feeling I might get some flak for it. Particularly because of how short it was and how easily Sasuke was defeated. It was always going to be short the fight isn't and never was going to be the main aspect of this fic. However the way I had Sasuke beaten was by his own arrogance. As I clearly stated in the fic he never expected Sakura to attack him and with her punching under Naruto's arm he couldn't see it so the Sharingan couldn't predict it. The big thing though is the damage the punch inflicted. Well if you're hit by a punch that can demolish walls and shatter the ground what do you think the effect would be. Yes Sakura hits Naruto all the time and he's fine but that's purely for comedic effect no one is meant to get really hurt.**

**All that aside I hope you enjoyed the fic. Even if it deteriorates a bit after Sakura leaves the tent.**

**Please review.**


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